


The Chief and the Cleaner Have Beers

by Nocticola



Category: Haven (TV)
Genre: Daddy Issues, Episode: s02e09 Lockdown, Gen, post episode
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-05-06
Updated: 2018-05-06
Packaged: 2019-04-19 04:59:15
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 788
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/14229786
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Nocticola/pseuds/Nocticola
Summary: Start of a potential friendship.





	The Chief and the Cleaner Have Beers

Nathan lumps against the wall, his mind still trying grasp the full picture. He didn't just get shot full of holes because Dwight the cleaner is a goddamn bullet magnet.

"Once we're done with all this, we should get beers. My treat for saving my life." 

"Yeah, a beer would be really good right about now. " Dwight smirks while picking bullets from his Kevlar.

Nathan nods and gets up, "I need to go deal with the rest of the situation. You should probably stay here."

"Good thinking, boss." Dwight gives him a smile Nathan can't really interpret so he just mentally shrugs and moves on. 

\--- 

The next day Nathan meets Dwight at The Rust Bucket. It's got a new owner and a new look and Nathan doesn't feel like going to the Gull tonight. He's early and he's drinking his first beer already when Dwight arrives. He knows what he wants to talk about today, even though he is not at all sure he's up to it, yet. But nothing ever happens on Nathan's timetable, so he waves at Dwight and finishes his beer. 

"Tracy! Two beers, please," Nathan tells the bartender who nods. Dwight sits down on the chair opposite Nathan.

Before either one of them can really start talking, Tracy takes the empty bottle and replaces it with two new ones. Nathan smiles at her briefly and thanks her and she smiles back.

Then Nathan turns his attention to Dwight who is already holding up his beer. Nathan picks up his and they clink them together. 

"Thanks for saving my life." 

"Congrats for being promoted again," Dwight replies before taking a sip of his beer. 

It was made official that afternoon. This time his position is slightly more stable. No more interim. Apparently his life is expendable enough if it comes to that. 

Silence falls between them as they drink their beers. After Nathan is half-way through with his, he's somewhat ready to get to his point.

"So, you worked for my Dad." 

"I did," Dwight confirms but doesn't elaborate. 

Nathan sighs in frustration and shakes his head, "I can't believe my Dad had a cleaner." 

"How did you think the Trouble aftermath got dealt with?" Dwight asks good-naturedly. 

Nathan shrugs and takes a sip of his beer, "I guess I thought it was something more official, than-- just someone like you." Nathan pauses for a moment, "It's not like he ever really even told me anything, except that everything I did was the wrong thing. He never really prepared me for this." 

Nathan's not sure why he said that. He hasn't had that much to drink, so it's not alcohol as truth serum or anything. Maybe he's slightly scared, about the responsibility, about failing again. And Dwight... Nathan doesn't really know Dwight. But Dwight knew the Chief, possibly in a way Nathan didn't. Maybe he's looking for some insight.

"I'm kinda surprised." Dwight brings Nathan's attention back to himself.

"Why? Don't tell me he was---" but Nathan runs out of words suddenly. What was Garland like? How was Garland to people who weren't his son? DNA or no DNA, different Troubles whatever, Garland's the one who raised him.

Dwight ignores Nathan's silence and continues, " He always talked about how you'd continue his work, once what happened, happened. I thought that involved explaining how all this works."

Nathan laughs a bit, his lips turn into a smirk as he says,  
" He brought me along as a kid to visit the Glendowers but he never told me they're Trouble. That's a representative example of how he prepared me for this. Not that he didn't have reasons for some of it," (like keeping my paternity a secret) " but he never really told what I really needed to know."

"Sounds like my father. But I think you're doing well. You're more curious than your old man. He never cared how it got done as long as it did. You're a smart kid, you'll figure it all out."

Dwight finishes his beer and Nathan just watches him for a bit. He knows for sure that he doesn't have older brothers. He probably doesn't have any siblings. But if he did, someone like Dwight would be nice. 

"Another beer? We could drink for shitty, complicated fathers," Nathan suggests. 

"Sure, why not? You order, I'm coming back soon." 

Nathan does and after Dwight comes back from the bathroom they have a nice evening, talking about hockey and Haven's little league and fathers. Normal stuff. It's so nice to talk about normal things instead of numbness and being a bullet magnet. Nathan doesn't remember the last time he's felt normal like this. It's nice. It would be nice to have a drinking buddy. 


End file.
